Mold for forming fench-posts and the like.



.Q. G. SHELDON? MOLD FOR FORMING FENGE POSTS AND THE LIKE. APPLIOATION I'ILED 00127, 1909.

963,818; Patented July 12,1910.

m? Quincy #873,

QUINCY G. SHELDON, F ELBURN ILLINOIS.

MOLD FOR FORMING FENCE-POSTS AND THE LIKE Fence-Posts and the Like, of which the following 1s a specification.

y inventlon relatesto molds, but more particularly to an expansible mold used to form concrete fence posts and the like.

The principal object of my lnvention'comprehends the production of a device of the .above character having means arranged along one side thereof for effecting the expansion' and contraction of the mold body in an easy and rapid manner.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the nature of my invention is better understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which' 1 Figure l is a rear elevation of the preferred form of my invention, showing the mold closed orcontracted and in position to receive the material which forms the post. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the mold expanded and in position to deliver the post. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 38 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a modified form of my invention.

Reference being had to the drawings and the numerals indicated thereon, 1 denotes the body of the mold, preferably formed of spring steel and Which is circular in cross section and tapered toward one end so as to form around post having a larger base than top. Formed along the front side of the mold body is.- an outwardly projecting groove 2. This groove 2 extends downwardly to about two thirds of the lengthof the mold body from the top thereof, and serves to form a rib on the post. This rib is to be provided with notches into which the fence wires are adapted to fit when they are secured to the post, which may be done in any suitable manner. v

The meeting edges of the mold body are bent outwardlyto form parallel ears 3 and 4, to which are securely-fastened, by any suitable means, the bars 5 and 6 respectively. These bars 5 and '6 are of slightly greater length than the mold body and project beyond the large end thereof for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 27, 1909. Serial No.

Patented July 12, 1910. 524,906.

Mounted adjacent'the outer side of the bar 6, by means of transversely extending bolts 10, is a reciprocating member 7 having secured to the inner face thereof a series of castings. These castings 8- are of counterpart construction and each portion having feet 11 formed on both ends thereof, each of said feet 11 having a hole therein through which the fastening screws 12 are passed. As will be seen b referrin to Figs. 1 and 3, the entire inner face of eacl i of said castings is flat and in engagement with the outer side of the bar (5,. and their outer faces, between the feet 11, are inclined as at 13, and adapted to be engaged b the heads 14 of theaforesaid bolts 10. lilach casting is also provided with a slot 15 through which, and through transverse holes 16. formed in the bars 5 and 6 as ,well as the ears 3 and 4, the bolts 10 are inserted.

As shown in Fig. 3, the holes 16 are of slightly greater diameter than the bolts 10, the difference being sufficient to allow the bars 5 and 6 and the ears 3 and a to move freely when. the mold is expanded or contracted, without binding on the bolts. The outer ends of the bolts 10 are threaded for comprises a body the reception of nuts 17, interposed between WhlCh and the outer side of the bar 5 are washers 18. To prevent the bolts from turning, the portions working in the slots 15 may be squared.

By referring tothe drawings it will be seen that the member 7 is greater in length than the bars 5 and 6, the difference in its length being equal to the distance the mem-- ber is adapted to travelto effect the expanding or contracting of the mold body 1, so that when said member 7 is in either posi tion one of its ends will be flush with one of the ends of the said bars 5 and 6, while its othier end will project beyond their other en s.

In filling the mold it is stood on its small end and the material is poured into the mold body through its large end until it reaches a point about two inches from the top of Sitld end. A cone shaped core A,indicated by dotted lines in Figs'l and 4., is then inserted into the material, thereby displacing said material and causing it to rise to the top of the mold body. After a suitable length of time has elapsed to allow the material to settle sufficiently the core A is withdrawn and water poured into the hole formed by said core for the purpose of ouris put in use. Qb-

viously this arrangement also saves material. In use, the nuts 17 are set to cause the washers 18 to just come in contact with the outer side of the bar 5, when the mold is expanded, as shown in Fig. 2. To contract or close the mold body 1, the mold is held so that its large end will be the top. The end of the member-7 projecting beyondthe small end of the L mold is then struck sharply against the floor or other object on which the mold is to stand, until that end of said member 7 will be flush with the small end of the mold. The, action will cause the member 7 to move upwardly carrying with it the castin s 8, which will cause theheads 14; of the b0 ts 10 to ride up the inclined faces 13 of ing'the post before it said castings 8, thereby drawing the bars 5 and 6 together and closing the mold body. The material is then poured into the mold body 1 and thecore A inserted, as above described. After sufiicient time has elapsed to allow material in the mold body to set, the mold is picked up, turned end forend, and dropped. When this is done the projecting end of the member 7 will come in contact with the floor and shift the member, thereby causing the heads 14 of the bolts 10 to ride down the-inclined faces 13 and allow the mold body 1 to expand. The purpose of extending the bars 5 and 6 slightly beyond the large end of the mold body, as above referred, is to allow the post to 'drop when the mold body is expanded.

In the modified form of my invention,

shown in Fig. 1, the castings 8 are omitted and the reciprocating member 7 is provided with a series of inclined faces 19 which are ada ted to engage a series of corresponding y inclined faces 20 formed on-the outer side of the bar 6. In this form of my invention, the bolts 10 work in slots 22 formed in the said member 7, to permit the same to be reciprocated. By this arrangement, when the member 7 is shifted in one direction it will cause the inclined faces 19 to ride up the inclined faces 20, and'draw the bars 5 and 6 together to contract the mold body, and when shifted in the opposite direct-ion,

will cause the said inclined faces 19 to ride down the inclined faces 20 and allow the mold body to expand.

I claim- 1. In a mold for forming concrete fence posts and the like, the combination of an expansible mold body having ears formed along one side thereof, bars secured to said ears, bolts extending transversely through holes formed in said ears and bars, and a reciprocating member having a plurality of castings secured to the inner side thereof and adapted to have their inner faces engage the outer face of one of said bars, said heads of the bolts to ride u castings having slots formed therein and their outer'faces inclined, said inclined faces being adapted to be engaged by the heads of the aforesaid bolts, whereby a movement of said member in one direction will cause the the inclined faces to contract the mold 'bo y, and on the return-movement will cause the heads of said bolts to slide down the inclined faces and allow the mold body to expand.

2. In a mold for forming concrete fence posts and the like, the combination of a metallic mold body having its meeting edges bent outwardly to form ears, bars secured to said ears and projecting a slight distance beyond one end thereof, a reciprocating member having castings secured thereto, bolts extending-through holes formed transversely throu h said ears and bars and having their hea ed ends working through slots formed in said castings, said castings having their outer faces inclined, said inclined faces adapted to be engaged by the heads of said 4 bolts.

3. A post mold comprising ,a metallic mold body having parallel ears formed along one side thereof, bars secured to said ears and projecting a slight distance beyond one end thereof, a reciprocating member mounted adjacent one of said bars and: having a plurality of castings secured to the inner'side thereof, said castings having inner straight faces adapted to engage the outer. side of said bar and outer inclined faces,

bolts extending through slots formed in the castings and through holes formed transversely throu h the aforesaid ears and bars,

and having leads engaging the inclined faces of the former whereby reciprocation of the member in one direction will cause said bars to be drawn together to contract the mold body, and on the return movement allow the same to expand.

4;. In a mold of the kind described, the combination of an expansible mold body having ears formed along one side thereof, bars secured to said ears and projecting a short distance beyond one end thereof, a reciprocating member having inclined castings, bolts extending transversely through said ears and bars and adapted to have their heads engaged by said castings, said member being 0 greater length than said bars whereby when either end is struck it will serve to shift the member for the purpose described.

In testimon whereof I affix my signature,

' in presence 0 two witnesses.

QUINCY e. SHELDON.

Witnesses:

HARRISON MATHEWSON, CHARLES F. MARKLE. 

